


memories

by oceanic (jangmun)



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Angst, Experiments, Gen, Hurt, Sci-Fi, Vague Ending, cyborg!yixing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2020-07-10
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:15:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25059838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jangmun/pseuds/oceanic
Summary: It started with his arm.
Relationships: Kim Junmyeon | Suho & Zhang Yi Xing | Lay
Kudos: 16
Collections: Challenge #4 — Into the Future





	memories

**Author's Note:**

> this fic was inspired by ash island’s [error](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMw_cyEjNUw) music video! i recommend watching it!! you don’t need to before reading, though :3. enjoy !

It started with his arm.

Yixing doesn’t remember the procedure. He doesn’t even remember how he became their test subject, everything before he woke up is just a blur and pain. His first clear memory is from waking up and hearing the heart monitor, and when his eyes adjusted to the lighting, he realized that instead of two normal arms, one was mechanical.

The first doctor that greets him is Dr. Kim. He runs through the usual medical talk, explaining the experiment, the successes, going on about how lucky Yixing is that everything worked, that his body accepted the mechanics without too much complications. All of it pisses him off.

He isn’t allowed to leave the compound. Not that he really has anywhere to go, Yixing doesn’t remember anyone from his past, he has no outside help. His new arm takes a long time getting used to, and it doesn’t even work until Dr. Kim runs a few diagnostics tests on it and a second minor procedure.

Dr. Kim gets replaced a few months later, and Yixing doesn’t understand why. But he doesn’t have any time to question anything, as he’s put through another round of procedures to implant a chip into his brain, one to replace his heart, and a couple weeks later Yixing is confined to one room, connected to machines and wiring and a monitor to make sure that he doesn’t even try to escape.

Not that Yixing exactly cares anymore. This isn’t really a life worth living anymore. He pretends to be asleep as the team of doctors come in and run their diagnostics, talk amongst themselves about the successes, the failures. Yixing almost feels disgusted, being discussed as if he’s not even human. Is he really human anyways?

They leave some time later, Yixing doesn’t have a concept of time anymore anyways. His metal fingers twitch, and some part of his brain kicks into gear. Flashes of his old memories play in agonizing film reels, familiar faces calling his name, sounds of gunfire and strings of smoke and large whirlwinds of fire engulf him until he suffocates.

Yixing can hear some kind of buzzing in the distance, and from his closed eyelids he can see some lights going off. The memories are growing more vivid, and he can almost see the face of his old friend, so clearly that sadness overwhelms him. The mechanical parts of his body start malfunctioning, start shutting down, the chip in his brain short circuiting.

Everything grows silent. He doesn’t see anymore memories, doesn’t hear the buzzing sirens. All he can feel is pain, sadness, confusion. Yixing can hear the door opening, footsteps echoing in the near silent room. He pretends to be asleep, although it seems that the doctor is not only alone, but rather smart.

Still, he stays silent, trying his best to fool the doctor. Yixing listens for the footsteps, tensing as they near him, and if he didn’t have the restraint he probably would’ve been startled at the loud clanking of metal hitting metal. “You can open your eyes, Yixing. I know you are awake.”

Cautiously, Yixing opens his eyes, lifting his head just enough to look at the doctor. He isn’t anyone he’s seen before, doesn’t look like a hire from the compound, and his technology is certainly not theirs, either. Yixing watches him cautiously, apprehensive to letting the doctor touch him. “The name is Junmyeon, don’t bother calling me anything formal.”

Junmyeon kneels in front of Yixing’s mechanical arm, opening the diagnostics on his tablet. Yixing watches, though he doesn’t understand a single thing he’s doing. “When did they hire you?”

“Last week.” Junmyeon starts running tests, which surge through Yixing, tingling and warm, not painful. Studying Junmyeon’s face threatens to bring back the gut wrenching memories— something about him is so familiar.

His tests end quicker than the past hundred times, and he stands up a minute later. “Complete. I hope that wasn’t too painful for you.”

“What did you do?”

“Try to leave late at night, Yixing. The guards take a break at two in the morning.”

Yixing watches Junmyeon exit through the door again, and darkness returns to the room. The chip in his brain, meant to keep him from thinking too freely, doesn’t even seem to be online. After months of learning its technology, he can at least somewhat understand when it’s messing with him.

As night falls, where now he can see the time in large LEDs on the wall, Yixing decides that maybe he should trust Junmyeon. He stands momentarily, testing the detectors. Nothing. One step forward, nothing. Yixing disconnects the monitors, nothing. He’s starting to believe Junmyeon really did come to help him. The metal door is his final challenge.

He remembers one of the earliest conversations the doctors had around him.  _ He has strength in this new arm, a strength unlike any manned soldier. If he is to gain control of this strength, he could overpower the compound. _ Yixing grabs the door with his arm, pain surging through every inch of his body, but he persists. The door surprisingly budges, and Yixing finds the strength to push him, and pull the door open until he can slip under.

He doesn’t make it far, and not because he’s caught, but because his body is still too weak to sustain all of its changes. Yixing falls to his knees first, bracing on the concrete, and when he gathers the strength to look up, Junmyeon is standing in front of him. “We don’t have much time, Yixing. Get up.”

But he can’t. No matter how hard he tries, his body just isn’t strong enough. Junmyeon sighs, helping him to his feet, dragging him to a vehicle. Yixing remembers now— who Junmyeon is. “You are Junmyeon… a friend of mine from before all of this. You came to save me.”

“You would do the same for me, Xing.”


End file.
